1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of supercapacitor desalination of liquids. Embodiments of the invention relate to a method of making or using a supercapacitor desalination device.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Less than one percent of water on the earth's surface is suitable for direct consumption in domestic or industrial applications. With the limited sources of natural drinking water, de-ionization of seawater or brackish water, commonly known as desalination, is a way to produce fresh water. There are a number of desalination techniques that are currently employed to de-ionize or desalt a water source.
Capacitive deionization is an electrostatic process that operates at a low voltage (about 1 volt for one cell) and low pressure (15 psi). When the brackish water is pumped through a high-surface-area electrode assembly, ions in the water—such as dissolved salts, metals, and some organics—are attracted to oppositely charged electrodes. This concentrates the ions at the electrodes and reduces the concentration of the ions in the water. When the electrode capacity is exhausted, the capacitor has to be discharged, with the ions rejected back into a now-concentrated solution.
It may be desirable to have a device or system for desalination that differs from those devices or systems that are currently available. It may be desirable to have a method of making or using a device or system for desalination that differs from those methods that are currently available.